Ojai Real Estate and Area Information
Ojai: Officially named Ojai in 1917, this tiny artistic community has unofficially been called “Shangri-La” since director Frank Capra picked the Ojai Valley as the location for his movie “Lost Horizon” in 1937. The city is approximately 15 miles from the ocean and less than 10 miles from the beautiful Lake Casitas. By far the smallest city in Ventura County, it is at the heart of the larger unincorporated areas in the Ojai Valley. It also serves as the gateway to the Los Padres National Forest. Despite having Ojai mailing addresses, the areas known as Mira Monte and Meiners Oaks are not within the city limits. Instead, these unincorporated areas are part of Ojai Valley and are within the jurisdiction of the County of Ventura. These areas share Ojai’s unique small town character and village atmosphere. Residents of all three communities are served by the Ojai Recreation Department, which “seeks to enrich and enhance the physical and mental well-being of the citizens by creating and offering a wide variety of accessible activities.” Residents have access to more than 10 elementary and high schools within the Ojai Unified School District. The district is supported by numerous local education organizations such as the Ojai Valley Neighborhood for Learning. Of course, at the higher education level, the students have their pick of the best that the state has to offer. The real estate markets of Ojai, Mira Monte and Meiners Oaks offer a wide range of lovely homes in beautiful wooded neighborhoods.
